Hi seanc....so I guess you remember me
Actually I learned a lot from you and last time with your help I overcame most of my problems including the 1.5V thing. I've plated parts at lower and much higher voltages with really nice results but this time to keep a constant I chose 1.5V. I'm actually done plating everything that I have to for my car and this was a little experiment before I put it all away for the winter. If it's safe to do in the kitchen then I might bring it out to try a couple things otherwise it will stay stored until it warms up outside.
Still though my volts and amps don't jive do they? It still seems like I need way more current than others do for some reason and I did confirm with Caswell last year that I did in fact receive the old solution. I guess I should have turned the voltage down to get the .3-.5 amps that you say it should only need but as it was I think the clamp was on the edge of a nice bright plate job. From what I've learned so far with other parts I have plated, had I lowered the voltage much more it probably would have turn out quite dull and would have required buffing.
Here is my power supply...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Variable-DC-Powe...QQcmdZViewItem
I bought it new and only used it twice so far but it seems to work pretty good. I went with this brand because that was what my 3A one was and the reason that I chose it then was because it looked like the one Caswell sells but they were all out at the time. For what it's worth, when I was having problems with my original 3A one I borrowed a top of the line 3A one from the avionics shop at work and got the same poor results of "not enough amps".
Like I say, I'm all done the parts for my car now but I really did like the whole plating experience and since I have two more cars to do and a long list of new "friends"
I'd like to be able to nail down the method.
One thing I never did mention is that my plating time is really short compared to what others have said. For example each hose clamp would be nicely, brightly plated in a minute or two and not 10-15 like others have mentioned.
Any other thougths?